The theme is spiritual meaning and questioning: although only two songs are explicitly about religion, most touch upon it or upon related topics such as abuse of power or love and forgiveness. The arrangements are spare, centered around Rebecca's voice and a grand piano.Liner notes

I Can Talk To You

I’ve just revealed the secret no one else would dare to say,
Perhaps I could have spoken in a less impulsive way,
But be that as it may,
In many faces I see anger that is hiding shame,
Or fear that covers just a hint that they might feel the same.
I feel I’m being blamed,

But you can always tell, how much I mean well.

When the whole world turns away,
When I don’t know what to do,
When the words are hard to say,
I can talk to you, I can talk to you.

I have a friend who’s self-destructing right before my eyes,
Other friends have warned her; she thinks they don’t sympathize.
I can’t reflect her lies.
I try to think of what would soothe her in her fragile pain,
A bit of wisdom to inspire the part of her that’s sane,
I’m wearying my brain.

By listening to me, you help me find the key.

When the whole world turns away,
When I don’t know what to do,
When the words are hard to say,
I can talk to you, I can talk to you.

Apologizing isn’t hard because I know I’m wrong;
If my good faith is not accepted, I’m not very strong,
I feel I don’t belong.
I try to be respectful, and careful what I say,
But when my values are at stake I leap into the fray,
My hand I overplay.

If you find my words rough, “I’m sorry” is enough.

When the whole world turns away,
When I don’t know what to do,
When the words are hard to say,
I can talk to you, I can talk to you.

Sisters and Strangers

You were popular and cool,
Not spectacular in school,
Always found the sharpest things to say.
You made fun of my good grades,
I condemned your escapades,
Watched you win the games I couldn’t play.

Sisters, and strangers
Same eyes, but different points of view.
You couldn’t see what I went through.
Some understanding’s overdue.
We’re sisters, and strangers too.

I got promoted, got engaged;
You had some drinks, became enraged,
The celebration turned into a fight.
As if we were in our teens,
We played out familiar scenes.
Until now, we haven’t spoken since that night.

Sisters, and strangers
Same eyes, but different points of view.
I couldn’t see what you went through.
Some understanding’s overdue.
We’re sisters, and strangers too.

We share a common history.
We both want ties to family.
Forgiveness won’t come easily,
But you still mean a lot to me.

Sisters, and strangers
Same eyes, but different points of view.
I’d like to know what you went through.
Some understanding’s overdue.
We’re sisters, and strangers too.

Beth Doesn't Know

Beth was born with a simple mind.
She can’t ask or answer why.
She says what she wants with a word or two.
She likes cars and tools and trains,
Batman’s cape and treasure games.
She won’t wear a dress, only jeans will do.

Beth doesn’t know she’s different.
She sees the world firsthand.
Those who say she has limits,
Beth can’t understand.

As she leaves childhood behind,
Beth can’t hide how she's inclined.
She has her first crush on another girl.
May, a teacher’s aide at school,
Helps Beth find what she can do.
Beth says she wants May to marry her.

Beth doesn’t know the closet,
Or that old cruel command.
Those who say love has limits,
Beth can’t understand.

Beth’s innocence protects her
From those who won’t respect her.
No prejudice will reach her,
And shame you just can’t teach her.

Beth doesn’t know she’s different,
As she extends her hand.
She makes a warm connection:
This Beth does understand.

Too Much Is Not Enough

We’re running out of forests,
We’re running out of fuel,
We’re running out of money,
We’re running out of cool,
We’re running out of patience,
We’re running out of grace,
We’re running out of time,
We’re running out of space.

Too much is not enough.
Too much is not enough.
Too much is not enough.
Too much is not enough.

Bad Boss Blues

He says I’m a star employee,
But he hates to be outshone.
He likes all my ideas,
As long as they match his own.
He doesn’t know the details,
But won’t take my advice,
Then he blames me for his failures,
‘Cause he will not pay the price.

I’ve come to the conclusion
He needs someone to abuse,
And I happen to be handy.
I’ve got the bad boss blues.

If I do the wrong thing,
He’ll curse me through and through,
But he’s really indecisive
When he tells me what to do.
First he needs it next month,
Then he needs it yesterday,
And when it’s almost finished,
He says, “Do it a different way.”

The only thing that saves me
Is he’s easy to confuse:
I reinvent the deadlines,
‘Cause I’ve got the bad boss blues.

Every time I see him
He makes me want to heave,
But until the market’s better
I can’t afford to leave.
I’ve tried to make a transfer,
But he will not let me go.
He talks about empowerment,
But it’s really all for show.

He must be directly descended
From the prehistoric ooze.
He needs some evolution,
And I’ve got the bad boss blues.

Messiah Refugee

I was raised in the New Age movement. I spent much of my life looking for insight in all the wrong places. In time I discovered that I don't need or want a church or teacher to help me find God. Having only personal beliefs and experiences is lonely but liberating.

I Can Talk To You

My husband Gary is my best friend, and I can talk to him about anything, no matter how painful or difficult it may be. He has been steadfast in his support and his love.

Sisters and Strangers

In some families, sibling rivalry lasts into adulthood. At a time when my sister and I were both going through emotional turmoil, we had a falling out. Writing this song was my preparation for our reconciliation.

Die Laughing

This expression has always struck me as tragicomic. It seems to fit with how, as I ve grown older, I remain hopeful for a better world but I realize that human nature doesn't change all that much.

Father

Much has been made of the plight of women in the Middle East, but there was a time when European culture was scarcely any better. There have always been women who perceived how unfair society was to them, and who fought back in any way they could, often quietly.

Taking the First

As a kid I loved the Schoolhouse Rock American History series. These songs illustrated by cartoons are as much fun as they are educational. The series has no song about the First Amendment, so I wrote one.

Scars

As a child I witnessed domestic violence, and in recent years I have volunteered at a domestic violence agency. I admire the strength and courage of all the survivors, who have gone on to create much better lives for themselves and their children.

My Cable TV

A former paramedic who attended one of my shows told me a story about a psychiatric emergency. He arrived at the scene to find a huge TV set in the road. Some people led him to the guy who threw it out of a building. He asked the guy why he did it. The guy's response was quite insane and an irresistible refrain for a song.

Beth Doesn't Know

A friend's daughter has Down Syndrome, has insisted that she is a boy since early childhood, and in adolescence is showing an interest in girls. Writing a song about her was a challenge; usually a song focuses on just one issue or theme, but this one has two that interrelate.

Too Much Is Not Enough

This is reportedly what Mick Jagger once said about sex. I think it s an expression for our times. We re addicted to our diminishing resources and to consumption for its own sake.

Bad Boss Blues

This is my attempt to set Dilbert to music. When Gary and I perform this song at street fairs, often someone comments, "Funny, we have the same boss." My usual reply is, "Yeah, that guy really gets around."

This Town Is Dead

When a company town loses its company, not much is left for the people who live there.

I Will Be Remembered

Egypt has inspired many artists and writers, some of whom haven't really understood the culture. When Shelley wrote "Ozymandias," his verses were moving but his Egyptology was uninformed. Gary and I have tried to imagine how an ancient king felt about his monument based on our knowledge of Egyptian history.

Messiah Refugee (electric)

Some people ask me where the "rock" is in Theatrical Folk-Rock, and this is my answer. I don't often play with a full band, but if you listen carefully, you can hear the intensity even when I play solo piano.

Thanks to family and friends for their support. Special thanks to Peter Sterbach, Steve Seskin, Penny Framstad, Peter Jansson, Vip Vipperman, Judy Hackett, Jai Josefs, West Coast Songwriters, and South Bay Folks.

Working

Shes mopping up this restaurant,
Shes cleaning up her life.
She could have stayed home with her kids
If she had stayed a wife.
It seems before she earns each paycheck
Its already spent.
She was getting by until
The landlord raised the rent.

For her, theres no glass ceiling,
Shes stuck right to the floor.
She can't say it's a living,
'Cause working isnt working anymore.

Hes staring at the clock all day,
Perhaps hes just depressed.
The end results the same if he
Does little or his best.
Retirement, if it happens,
Is another thirty years.
And thirty thousand dollars
Is the price to change careers.

It seems that hes forgotten
Just what hes striving for.
He can't say this is living,
'Cause working isnt working anymore.

Some cash to set aside,
A chance to feel some pride,
A job that's going to last
Is that too much to ask?

"Welcome to the company,"
He said when I was new,
"Weve been looking long and hard
For someone just like you."
I put in hours I didnt have
To get my due reward,
Then he said, "Your jobs duplicated
Which we cant afford."

He thanked me for my efforts,
Then showed me to the door.
I can't say it's a living,
'Cause working isnt working anymore.

Turn of the Tide

The last time we embraced,
The waves were swirling at our feet.
We touched like sea and sky,
The endless plane where two souls meet.
I could only see
The dreams I thought we could fulfill.
If Id forseen the end,
I would have held you longer still.

The turn of the tide swept over us
And washed our love away.The beach that we walked hand in hand,
I walk alone today.
The turn of the tide can come so fast,
My change of heart is slow.
What happened to the man I used to know?

We used to be so close,
And then you barely spoke to me.
I finally walked away;
Im left with just a memory.
Your whisper's in the waves,
The sea reminds me of your eyes,
Something lingers yet,
I guess love never really dies.

The turn of the tide swept over us
And washed our love away.
The beach that we walked hand in hand;
I walk alone today.
The turn of the tide can come so fast,
My change of heart is slow.
What happened to the man I used to know?

Love eclipsed by loneliness
The pain wont go away.
It was hard to bring myself to leave,
But harder still to stay.
The turn of the tide can come so fast,
My change of heart is slow.
What happened to the man I used to know?

Right Thing to Do

Shes tried to have those talks,
Cant budge his mental blocks.
The chances of him listening are pretty slim.
He blusters through his day,
She stays out of his way.
She calls a friend and says what she cant say to him.

This time her friend is male.
Though it feels like betrayal,
She makes a few excuses to be at his house.
Platonic conversation,
Covert investigation
His eyes and words alone make her forget her spouse.

The right thing to do,
The right thing to do,
The right thing to do
Is sometimes wrong.

He sees the ring she wears.
Surely her husband cares, but
He cant help seeing how she hates to go back home.
Each time she has to leave
Inside it makes him grieve:
Her soul is what hes waited for through years alone.

The right thing to do,
The right thing to do,
The right thing to do
Is sometimes wrong.

Wedding vows are hard to break,
But loneliness is hard to take.
All is fair in love, its said.
Who wants a cold or empty bed?

The right thing to do,
The right thing to do,
The right thing to do
Is sometimes wrong.

Kill His Memory

At the funeral this weekend,
Theyll treat him like a saint,
But you and I have secrets,
We know for sure he aint.
Who else did he mess up?
Weve got to find them all,
And meet to plan a eulogy
Outside the schoolyard wall.

God sent our teachers soul to hell,
But we are still not free.
We have to dare to tell the truth,
To kill his memory.

Michael is the baseball star;
For sure theyll let him speak.
Hell call up the rest of us,
The timid and the weak.
"This man took me against my will"
Is all you have to say,
And if you cant go through with it,
Please dont give us away.

God sent our teachers soul to hell,
But we are still not free.
We have to dare to tell the truth,
To kill his memory.

Were we close? Yeah closer
Than anyone suspected.
Completely unprotected!

God sent our teachers soul to hell,
But we are still not free.
We have to dare to tell the truth,
To kill his memory.

Other Ways to Fight

My father was a quiet man of faith and peace.
He wouldn’t stand against the Nazis and police
Who went around him when they charged the neighborhood.
I said to him, "We save ourselves, but don’t do good."

He said, "There’s a time and place to take
A stand for what is right.
Many things you do by day
Are dangerous at night.
Trust me when I tell you
There are other ways to fight."

I had dreams of courage held in check by fear,
Of throwing stones and bombsan underground career.
I wanted to avenge the deaths of friends from school.
I thought my Pa a coward when he said, "You fool."

He said, "There’s a time and place to take
A stand for what is right.
Many things you do by day
Are dangerous at night.
Trust me when I tell you
There are other ways to fight."

The war ended, I grew up, moved to the U.S.A.
It wasn’t too long after that, my father passed away.

Last year I went back to my house in Germany.
Several Jewish families came and greeted me.
They told me that my father hid them all away.
Because of him, grandchildren are alive today.

There’s a time and place to take
A stand for what is right.
My father had great courage
Hidden through a long dark night.
At last I see why he said,
"There are other ways to fight."

I Don't Want to Tell You

You know that I grew up in East Colorado,
That I've lived overseas and was married before.
I dreamed about dancing but feared my own shadow.
I've left little unsaid, but you ask if there's more.

I don't want to tell you
My story is missing a page.
A tale of a moment of weakness,
But I've become stronger with age.
I don't want you to see me
As the person I was years ago.
I don't want to tell you,
And you don't want to know.

You once played a prank on a teacher you hated.
On a history test, you decided to cheat.
You once lied to lead on a woman you dated.
All I can say is that I've got you beat.

I don't want to tell you
My story is missing a page.
A tale of a moment of weakness,
But I've become stronger with age.
I don't want you to see me
As the person I was years ago.
I don't want to tell you,
And you don't want to know.

What happened to me wasn't pretty
To tell you might ruin your day.
And I have no need for your pity,
Anyway.

I don't want to tell you
My story is missing a page.
A tale of a moment of weakness,
But I've become stronger with age.
I don't want you to see me
As the person I was years ago.
I don't want to tell you,
And you don't want to know.

Night Ship

Hello my love, how was your day?
It sounds like you have got a lot to say.
This modern work we both perform
Cannot make us feel relaxed and warm.
But we both know where we can go...

We fly in our night ship,
Through our private sky.
We soar, floating weightless,
Even as we lie.
We dream and awaken
To sweet reality.
We fly in our night ship,
You and me.

Sometimes we touch, sometimes we sleep.
Sometimes we talk and tremble, laugh, or weep.
We journey to a distant star,
But never find the end of who we are:
The thoughts profound, the thundering sound...

We fly in our night ship,
Through our private sky.
We soar, floating weightless,
Even as we lie.
We dream and awaken
To sweet reality.
We fly in our night ship,
You and me.

Do you suppose that time can bend?
That somehow you receive before you send?
You laugh at me, then raise your brow,
And say you'd like to bend the time right now:
Reshape the past, and make it last...

We fly in our night ship,
Through our private sky.
We soar, floating weightless,
Even as we lie.
We dream and awaken
To sweet reality.
We fly in our night ship,
You and me.

Working

After my mother got divorced and before she got her degree, she struggled to earn enough to raise three children. I fared much better, but discovered that a bad job that pays well is still a bad job. Yet I was more fortunate than my coworkers who worked 80-hour weeks on critical projects only to be sacrificed to save the stock price. This is how corporate greed really trickles down.

World in His Pocket

An ode to corporate excess. I wrote it after the WTO protests in Seattle, then Enron and other corporate meltdowns gave it new life. Guest vocal: Gary Lee Parks

Turn of the Tide

I loved one man before I met my husband. He pulled away when he feared that I wouldn't be able to hear what he really wanted to say. I gave up trying to get him to tell me anyway. But before that happened, our time together seemed timeless.

Right Thing to Do

A friend of mine became the confidant of an unhappily married woman, who left her husband for him even though no "affair" occurred. She just wanted someone to talk to. He was guilt-stricken at first, but eventually he realized that love knows no rules.

Only I Know Me

The people who tried to run my lifeparents, teachers, partnershad the best of intentions for me, or so they thought. When what I wanted conflicted with what they wanted, the truth was revealed. This is my personal Declaration of Independence.

Playing God

Coastal California, where I grew up, is Guru Central. I witnessed the attempts of several people to start their own therapies, religions, and philosophies. Charisma attracts, then power corrupts. I played a bit part in one such epic tragedy when I was young and having difficulty believing in myself.

Kill His Memory

Not long after the latest scandal in the Catholic Church broke out, I had a vivid dream about a funeral in the chapel of a private school. The school staff was trying unsuccessfully to stop a group of students from loudly denouncing the deceased.

Fade to Black

I have stood helplessly and watched a close friend give up her life and her soul to alcohol. This song began as a letter to her that I never sent.

Under the Moon

As I got older and learned, often the hard way, about what I did and didn't want in a relationship, I wondered whether I'd ever find that elusive combination of chemistry and compatibility. Being single later in life isn't easy.

Other Ways to Fight

A nurse I befriended during my college years grew up in Nazi Germany. She told me about how she discovered her father's greatest secret on a trip home to the old country. There were many unsung heroes in WWII. I hope to change that for one of them.

You Will Find Me

After my grandfather died, my grandmother said, "In his last years it was hard to reach him. But now that his spirit is free, I feel closer to him than I have in a long time." Years after her passing, remembering her words still gives me awe-inspired chills. I dedicate this to both my grandparents. They are still with me.

I Don't Want to Tell You

I keep very few secrets, but I have sometimes had conversations like this. The details in this song are more from my parents' lives than mine. As for what "it" is, well...

You Will Pay

I was picked on a lot as a kid and never quite got over it, which explains my need to vent. But in many cases I heard about, life beat up those bullies for me later on. I love karma when it works.

Night Ship

When creative people marry, they just need passion, shared imagination, and a cozy place to cuddle. Wild nights, lazy mornings, and conversations, some without words, inspired this song.

Socks

It's amazing the unexpected things you discover when you live with someone. And my husband Gary is quirkier than most. He's a good sport for letting me sing this.

Wait for Me

There’s a missing part of me that I must find,
Without it I can have no peace of mind.
The things I need to find it are out there,
And this is one long journey I can’t share.

Wait for me, I love you so,
Wait for me, it’s hard to go,
But I just have to know
If I can make it on my own.
Wait for me, I’ve gotta find a way,
Wait for me, I’ve got a lot to say,
But I’ll be done one day,
Please wait for me and I’ll come home.

The love you give me nourishes my soul.
Sometimes I wish that I had just one goal.
Creative longings beckon me away,
But think of me and I won’t go astray.

Wait for me, I love you so,
Wait for me, it’s hard to go,
But I just have to know
If I can make it on my own.
Wait for me, I’ve gotta find a way,
Wait for me, I’ve got a lot to say,
But I’ll be done one day,
Please wait for me and I’ll come home.

Love can reach the longest distance,
You can find me anywhere,
Close your eyes and you will see me,
Search your heart and I’ll be there.

Wait for me, I love you so,
Wait for me, it’s hard to go,
But I just have to know
If I can make it on my own.
Wait for me, I’ve gotta find a way,
Wait for me, I’ve got a lot to say,
But I’ll be done one day,
Please wait for me and I’ll come home.

Strange Piano Dreams

The keys are so small that I scrunch or so large that I pound.
The keys are in front of a throne and arrayed all around.
The keys are of paper or driftwood or pillows or foam.
The keys are on the hood of a car, made of fine polished chrome.

I’m having strange dreams of pianos,
I have surreal visions of the keys.
I’m having strange dreams of pianos,
Such strange piano dreams.

Sometimes I find those pianos inside other things,
Like the time when I opened a suitcase to tap on the strings.
Sometimes I don’t even see a piano at all,
Like when cities played pitches when I touched them on a map on the wall.

I’m having strange dreams of pianos,
I have surreal visions of the keys.
I’m having strange dreams of pianos,
Such strange piano dreams.

When I see a piano that’s all broken down,
I fear more dreams coming my way,
But the thing I find strangest in all of these dreams
Is that I always manage to play!

I’m having strange dreams of pianos,
I have surreal visions of the keys.
I’m having strange dreams of pianos,
Such strange piano dreams.

If I Could Be Two People

My love and I are holding hands,
I see you watching wistfully.
When you met him, you knew you’d lost,
It’s clear that he’s the one for me.
Afraid of love I didn’t seek,
Surprised my heart could feel so weak,
I ache because I cannot heal
The longing that your eyes reveal.

If I could be two people,
One of me could be with you.
If I could be two people,
Each of me could see this through:
Loving him, loving you,
Both of me holding on steadfast and true,
If I could be two people,
One of me could be with you.

He’s my best friend, my great romance,
The grace within his soul is rare,
But you are one of very few
Whose inner beauty does compare.
His deep devotion holds my vow,
Your heart compelled you anyhow.
The finest man I’ve turned away,
You don’t deserve what I had to say.

If I could be two people,
One of me could be with you.
If I could be two people,
Each of me could see this through:
Loving him, loving you,
Both of me holding on steadfast and true...

Someday you will find her,
Your love that’s meant to be.
She will give you all I can’t,
It’s what I hope to see.

If I could be two people,
One of me could be with you.
If I could be two people,
Each of me could see this through:
Loving him, loving you,
Both of me holding on steadfast and true,
If I could be two people,
One of me could be with you.

Freedom Is Your Right

You’ve called me up to tell me
You want to run away.
You’ve given all you can,
He’s given you no say.
In spite of all that’s happened,
In a way you love him still,
Even standing on the brink
Is taking all your will.

Your mind goes all directions as you think of what to do.
Though people hurt and people help, it all comes down to you.

You have what you need to bring an end to endless night.
Turn the key, unlock the door, and step into the light.
Blink away your tears and let your eyes reclaim their sight.
Seek out where you want to go, your freedom is your right.

He wasn’t always angry,
He could be cold or kind,
And sometimes you were desperate,
More often just resigned.
You thought that you could save him,
Now you have to save yourself.
Looking in the mirror scares you,
You see someone else.

Trying to remember who you were before he came,
Trying to believe me when I say you’re not to blame.

You have what you need to bring an end to endless night.
Turn the key, unlock the door, and step into the light.
Blink away your tears and let your eyes reclaim their sight.
Seek out where you want to go, your freedom is your right.

The time is now,
The place is here,
The choice is yours,
Let go of fear.

You have what you need to bring an end to endless night.
Turn the key, unlock the door, and step into the light.
Blink away your tears and let your eyes reclaim their sight.
Seek out where you want to go, your freedom is your right.

Say Something

There’s a cliff where many people throw themselves into the sea,
But a gentle man invites them to his home to have some tea.
He doesn’t ask for details, but they tell him anyhow,
And some write to him later to say life is better now.

At a high school drinking party, one girl had more than she should,
And it could have ended badly, with two boys up to no good,
But a classmate saw it happen, and he said, "Leave her alone."
Then he asked her what she needed, said goodbye, and drove her home.

I don’t know if life’s unknown direction
Will ever put me through that kind of test.
I can’t promise I will be successful,
But I can promise I will do my best
To say something.

He had lots of ammunition, and he thought that no one cared.
All the classrooms were on lockdown, and the bookkeeper was scared,
But she asked him for his story, and she told some of her own.
He surrendered to her kindness, choosing not to act alone.

Walk on Any World

Neil Armstrong loved to fly,
Gave airplanes their first try,
Survived each flight surprise,
knew how to improvise.
He had the prefect prep
For that historic step.
The heavens called him home,
His soul is free to roam.

With the questions in his mind,
With the universe unfurled,
There’s no moon that he can’t find,
He can walk on any world,
Walk on any world.

Young Sally’s telescope
Gave her a lofty hope:
To find a ride to space,
Redefine a woman’s place.
Ace shuttle scientist,
Education activist.
To the heavens she has gone,
Her spirit ventures on.

With the questions in her mind,
With the universe unfurled,
There’s no planet she can’t find,
She can walk on any world.

Wait for Me

I once had to choose between a relationship and my music. This is how I attempted to explain myself before I ended up choosing my music. Now I have a great relationship too!

Strange Piano Dreams

All lines in this song are from real dreams I’ve had about playing unreal pianos.

If I Could Be Two People

A male friend who was going through a bad breakup seemed to develop a crush on me. I wrote this song to cope with the situation. The song’s bridge has since come to pass; he has a wonderful sweetheart.

Freedom Is Your Right

For about a year I volunteered on a domestic violence hotline. That might sound grim, but I found it surprisingly inspiring. These women (and some men) were often taking their first step toward freedom, and I was there to witness it and to help.

Say Something

I tied together three stories about people who spoke up with daring and caring.
Don Ritchie lived across the street from a cliff where suicides were common and talked at least 160 people out of killing themselves during his lifetime.
My brother, while in high school, prevented the sort of party rape that has been too much in the news lately.
Antoinette Tuff talked a would-be school shooter into surrendering to the police without harming anyone.

Secret Stage

My husband Gary, who is an artist, recently said, "Your music is the soundtrack of my evenings." I thought that sounded like a song lyric.

Walk on Any World

Neil Armstrong, first to walk on the moon, and Sally Ride, first American woman in space, passed away with a month of each other. At around the same time, physicists announced that faster-than-light travel might be possible by warping space-time.
I posted on Facebook, "Now Neil Armstrong can walk on any world he wishes," and a friend said I should write a song about it. So I did.